The Consummate Oath
by Niko
Summary: Sequel to To Turn the Other Cheek
1. Chapter 1

Wolfram tucked the blue dress into the waterproof bag, shaking his head slightly at the absurdity of it all. They both knew what they would be getting into and to bother bringing anything more substantial than underwear was a futile effort. The dress would never leave the bag and if it did, it would only be worn for five minutes tops before being thrown off in haste. Still, Yuri had pointed to that one specifically as the one he wanted packed and ready. Knowing how nervous his fiancé was, Wolfram found it best to not argue over the small matter of luggage.

It was raining outside, water running down the windows in small streams, racing towards the ground. What had started as a light drizzle the night before had become a continuous downpour by the morning. The ground was covered in puddles that engulfed the feet of anyone who stepped into them and Wolfram was glad he would not be staying there for any more of the wet misery of the weather.

Late autumn was a lovely time of year, but with the bitter cold winds adding the extra bite to the uncomfortable dampness, it was hardly enjoyable. The trees, which had burned with color just weeks prior, were now sagging under the weight of the wet, dead foliage that still clung to the widespread limbs. In a few more weeks, two perhaps at most, the first snowflakes would begin to fall and the stormy uncertainty of autumn would be like a groggy dream, half-remembered. Wolfram enjoyed the snow and looked forward to spending his first real winter with Yuri. There would be romantic outings, nights by a cozy fire, and, knowing Yuri, the wimp would end up getting a cold and ruining the whole thing. Even so, Wolfram couldn't keep the smile from his face as he planned ahead for the season to come.

With the dress packed and the bag sealed tight to keep it dry, Wolfram left the room and headed down to where he knew Yuri would be waiting. It never failed that when the king was stressed or missing, he could always be found sitting alone in his private bath. Whether it was the steam, the seclusion, or just the comfort of the warm water, Wolfram had no idea. His one and only attempt to aid him in his relaxation had gone terribly awry, though. After that, he left his lover to his own devices when he took sanctuary in his bath, making their bedchamber his official grounds for setting the Maou straight.

As he walked, he saw Conrad come out from around a corner, his thin, pleased smile stretching across his face as their eyes met.

"Wolfram. I was sent to find you."

The blonde sighed, stopping in the middle of the passageway to allow his brother to come to him. "What's he worrying over now?"

Conrad laughed a little and shook his head. "Nothing related. He wanted to get a few things done before it was time to go, though, so he's with Gunter at the moment. This at least gives you a little time to say goodbye before you head out."

"It would," Wolfram agreed. "But I've already done so. I saw Mother and everyone else last night after the banquet. If they require I make additional efforts to say goodbye to them this morning as well, they had best come to where I am. We'll never leave at this rate as it is."

"Nervous?"

Wolfram cast him a dirty look. "Why should I be? I know full well what to expect upon our arrival. Yuri's the one blowing it out of proportion."

Conrad nodded a bit and motioned for Wolfram to walk with him. They started back down towards the bath. "Perhaps. It means a lot to him, though."

That was an understatement. There had been no restful nights since Yuri had come to the decision and no amount of consolation could settle his nerves save getting it over with.

Wolfram sighed and swung the bag gently at his left, missing the weight of his sword at his side. "I know. I don't think we'll be gone too long, but we'll see how things go. I'm sure you're looking forward to not having to chase us around the castle."

"On the contrary, I wish I could go with you." Conrad smiled at his brother, patting his shoulder. "I understand it's a private matter, though. I hope you enjoy yourselves."

"Well...I doubt I'll have time to even think about anyone at home but...I might miss you."

Conrad's smile grew at the rare admission as the pair headed down to the unoccupied bath. At least, it should have been unoccupied. As they neared the large doors, though, the sounds of splashing could be heard echoing out of the sealed room.

Warily, Conrad put his hand to his sword, stepping in front of his brother to protect him should someone be waiting within for the royal party. Perhaps they thought their movements would be undetected amidst the backdrop if raindrops. Such foolish spies and assassins would soon find their assumptions quite wrong. Sword drawn, the half mazoku soldier pressed against the cool metal of the door as he sprung them open to the surprise of the intruders.

Two intruders to be precise.

Bobbing in the bath wearing the purple swimsuit Gwendel had bought her, Greta waved ecstatically as Conrad came into view. Murata greeted him as well, wiping the moisture from his glasses as he knelt down along the edge beside the princess.

"Is Shibuya ready then?" he asked, looking around Conrad's broad form for any hint of his son.

Conrad put his sword down and shook his head, standing aside to let his brother pass. "I'm sorry, Your Grace, but no. It shouldn't be much longer, though."

Wolfram shook his head at the dark-haired trespasser as he came to stand beside him. "You can't just help yourself to whatever you want, you know."

"Well, Greta was getting impatient you see." Murata Ken smiled sheepishly. "I thought explaining things before you two were ready would help speed things along."

Greta pulled herself from the bath and walked quickly to her father's side, bouncing with excitement, water flying from her hair and causing dark spots on Wolfram's pressed trousers. "Greta will not be afraid! I've been practicing holding my breath for when we're in the water."

"That's good. Yuri says we should end up in a pond near his home." Wolfram held out the waterproof bag. "Your dress is in here for you to change into when we get there. You want to make a good first impression, don't you?"

The little girl nodded. "I'm going to meet my grandmother and grandfather and see Uncle Shori again!"

Wolfram smiled and kissed her wet hair. "I'll go ahead and hold onto this for now. You go back to practicing."

Greta nodded and hurried back to the water, jumping in and splashing Murata, who sat too close to the bath's edge. With a politely uttered excuse, Conrad let them be and closed the door to rejoin his king.

"So, are you nervous?" Murata stood up, drying off his glasses again, though it seemed a futile effort.

"Why does everyone think I should be nervous? His mother is very fond of me and supports our relationship completely." Wolfram watched Greta sink down under the water and waited to see her come back up. "Besides, she's always said she wanted a daughter. The moment she sees Greta, I am sure she will be overjoyed and steal her away from us to dress her up like a doll."

"Mama is quite predictable, it's true. She may pout at Shibuya for a while but I'm sure she'll quickly embrace the idea of being a grandmother."

Wolfram nodded slightly, hearing him but not quite listening. He was watching the bubbles collecting at the surface of the water with interest.

"There's plenty of other reasons to be nervous, though."

"And Yuri has discovered every single one of them and then some."

Murata smiled sadly. "There are factors involved here you have no understanding of, Lord Von Bielefeld."

Before Wolfram could turn and ask him what he meant, the door to the bath opened again. With a heavy sign, Yuri fell back against the door, pushing it shut with his weight as though he lacked the strength to stand on his own. He looked worn and tired already.

"Everything alright, Shibuya?"

Yuri nodded, standing up straight as he unbuttoned the first few buttons of his black over shirt. "Yeah, everything's fine. Gunter's promised to take care of the Strelitz problem while we're gone and Gwendel's going to have his hands full keeping Shin Makoku in general running smoothly. We need flood relief for some of the low-lying lands just east of here. I kind of wish I could go myself." He looked back at the door with an expression of defeat.

With a splash and large gasp of air, Greta flung herself back to the surface of the water. Yuri paused in slight alarm till he heard his fiancé clapping encouragingly.

"That was a long time. I'm very proud of your diligence." Wolfram smiled warmly at her, then turned a stern look to Yuri. "Greta has been practicing holding her breath for the trip. You're not going to insult her and all her hard work saying you'd rather stay here than show your daughter your other home are you?"

The king shook his head, opening his arms to his daughter as she flew to him. "Of course not. We'll leave in just a minute."

"You know, " Murata interrupted, "You could just alter the flow of time between the two worlds. Then you could spend as much time on Earth as you wanted and still be back in time to help with the flooding issues." 

Yuri blinked at him. "I can?"

"As Maou you have a contract with all elements, including time," the Great Sage explained. "Shinou had the power to manipulate it and now you do as well. Just ask time to go slower in Shin Makoku than it does on Earth and you should arrive back here seconds after leaving even if you stay at home over a month."

Yuri's smile began to broaden. "You know, this acquiring Shinou's power thing is coming in very handy." He walked over to his fiancé, kissing him briefly on the lips. "I bet you like the sound of that best. From now on, when I visit home, you won't notice I've even left."

"If you leave anywhere without me you will find the bedroom door locked upon your return."

Yuri laughed a little, though he was unsure if Wolfram was being serious or not. He kissed him again, lingering a little longer against his soft lips before pulling away. "Not changing into something else? You'll just be wet and miserable on the other side. There's no telling if there's any water pooling at my home, so I have to take us out through the pond by the park instead. We'll have to walk the rest of the way."

"I have to borrow something of yours when we arrive, anyway. I'm not concerned."

Yuri nodded and crossed to the side of the bath. "If everyone's ready then."

Wolfram stood back and watched as Yuri looked down at the shifting water. Its appearance didn't change immediately, but his expression did and no sooner did the peaceful haze come to his eyes than a small disturbance began to form before them. He held out both his hands, Greta taking one instinctively as Wolfram clasped the other. This would be his first time taking anyone other than Murata along with him on his own and it was agreed upon to be safer in general for the others to hold onto him lest they risk being left behind.

As he stepped into the water, it began to churn more violently. Greta held on tighter to her father's hand, not feeling as excited as she had before now that the swirling waters threatened to pull her in.

"It's alright, Greta. I won't let go. Don't fight it and it'll be over quickly," Yuri said soothingly, giving her hand a tight squeeze.

The princess nodded and felt herself already holding her breath as they stepped further into the water. The spreading tendrils of the current swallowed a rubber ducky right before her eyes, sucking it away to the other world. With a few more steps, she too would be whisked away. The closer they came, the more she realized the only thing keeping her from falling in was her father's tight grip. Not even that made a difference, though, as they intentionally stepped within its grasp and fell under, riding the funnel as it pulled them down, down, down like a weightless freefall towards the dark nothingness. There was only the hand holding hers tightly to keep her mind from reeling in fright.

As everything turned black, though, and sound gave way to silence, Greta found herself in a darkness her father's touch could not penetrate.

The king's private bath was left empty, the water growing calm in their wake.


	2. Chapter 2

It wasn't the being wet that annoyed Wolfram as they walked down the sidewalk towards the Shibuya home. It played a part, he wouldn't deny that, but on the whole it was little more than a nuisance to drip as they walked, sloshing about in a soaked uniform under the beige cloak he'd pulled from the sack. However, the fierce chill in the wind that made his face burn with irritation: that was truly insufferable. Despite the warm dry layer over them, with their wet hair and clothes still clinging to their skin, the older three shivered as they walked. Greta had a warm change of clothes on her body under her cloak, but her hair still hung wet against her face. She walked behind her parents, Yuri and Wolfram standing side by side to block the wind from her as they pushed on in spite of awkward stares; Murata hung back to be sure at least someone had an eye on the young girl.

It had been Yuri's idea to surprise his family and therefore his fault they were made to walk, wet and cold, to his home. Wolfram made a note not to let him forget that for some time, lest he pull a stunt like this again. No surprise was worth the aggravation and discomfort he was putting them through.

It was not a long walk, but it was made infinitely longer by the conditions they walked in. When the cheerful home stood before them, though, no power in the world could have stopped them from clamoring inside even without the decency of a knock. With certainty and eagerness they plowed through the entry way, remembering only out of habit to remove their shoes as the door closed behind them and they stood shivering inside.

"That was the worst idea you have ever had," Wolfram managed around chattering teeth, deciding now was as good a time to shove it in his face as any.

Yuri smiled apologetically at him, lowering the hood of his cloak. His lips had a tint of blue to them and his jaw trembled as well. "Sorry. This is the last time I'll ask you to do this. I promise I'll work on a plan so next time we visit Earth, we end up here."

Wolfram nodded as a woman's voice called out to them.

"Sho-chan, is that you?"

A subtle warmth came to Yuri's face at the sound of his mother's voice. Breaking through the numbness of his senses, he could smell the spices of her cooking permeating the home. Christmas carols were already playing faintly in the background. He took a deep breath, enjoying the peaceful moment, before calling back to her. "It's Yuri. I'm home."

From there, it became a chaotic chain of events that left Wolfram, Greta and Murata speechless as they drew back with a start. Sprinting faster than any of them thought a person capable of, Shibuya Miko rounded on her son in a fury of worried and near hysterical questions for which she left no time for answering.

Yuri smiled embarrassedly, trying to shrug off her affectionate pinching and swats with her spoon that served only to put her at ease and punish him. "I'm fine, mom. I'm sorry. I know I was gone a long time. Everything's okay, though. See? I've still got all my arms and legs."

"Call me Mama, Yu-chan!" Miko reprimanded him. "You didn't say goodbye or anything! Don't you care about how much you worry your poor mama?"

"Of course I care. I was just really busy, though. I'm the Maou and I have certain responsibilities and then there were some personal matters... I'll explain all the details later, I promise." Yuri held up his hands to dissuade her from pursuing her physical attacks.

Miko pouted at him, arms crossed over her chest. "You had better." She turned to the other three and, as though they had not been privy to her conversation with her son, put on a beaming smile and addressed them warmly. "Thank you all for taking such good care of my Yu-chan when he's away. Who did he bring with him this time? Oh, Wol-chan! Is that you under there?" she asked, peering into their hooded faces.

Wolfram pulled the hood of his cloak back, his blonde hair sticking to his face in ringlets. "I would never allow him to leave me behind, Mother. I apologize for our appearance."

She squealed in delight and held his face between her hands. "You look so beautiful, Wol-chan! I'm so happy to see you again! Will you be staying long enough this time to go shopping with me? And Ken-chan? Oh, your family has been worried sick about you! You're as bad as Yu-chan!"

Murata smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Mama-san. I didn't realize we'd be gone so long. Mind if I call home?"

Miko shooed him off towards the phone, looking cross though her demeanor would not allow the expression to stay. "Boys are terrible. They grow up and they don't think about their poor dear mamas anymore."

Wolfram smiled a bit at her, putting his hand on his daughter's shoulders. "Boys where I'm from are much more respectful to their mothers. I will make sure Yuri does not impart his bad habits on our children."

"Wolfram." Yuri frowned at him. His mother was bad enough but being ganged up on by the two of them was more than he appreciated.

"Are you going to introduce her to your family or must I?"

Miko blinked and looked between the two and then to the smaller figure under the cloak whose hand was grasping at Wolfram's side. "This is someone new."

Wolfram nodded, eyeing Yuri reproachfully. His fiancé nodded, swallowing hard as he stepped forward. "Mama...this is Greta. She's...our daughter."

"Daughter?"

Greta pulled her hood down then unlaced the front, handing the cloak to her father before curtseying to the older woman. "I'm very pleased to meet you."

Miko's eyes were as large and glittery as stars. "Daughter?"

"You two wait right here. I'm going to get some towels," Yuri instructed to his royal family. No sooner did he try to turn around, though, this his mother wrapped her arms around his chest.

"I'm too young to be a grandmother! But a girl! A girl! Oh, Yu-chan, I'm so proud of you!" She kissed his cheek, bouncing with joy. "I want to hear all about it! Things must be so different in your other world! A girl! My Yu-chan had a girl!"

Yuri made a face. "You're getting wet too now. Let me go so I can get them something to dry off with."

"Dry off?" Miko looked back at the dripping hair matted to all their faces. "You're all soaked to the bone!" she exclaimed. "Greta-chan, you must come with me. I'll get you a nice cup of coco and dry your hair and oh, I have plenty of warmer dresses than that!"

Greta's face was alight with joy. "Greta would love to go with Grandma!"

Miko took her hand and beamed with a mother's glow. "Yu-chan, you and Wol-chan should go and take a nice warm bath or else you'll catch your death. Just leave Greta to me."

Before either could say a word, Miko had dashed away with their precious daughter in tow. The hostile takeover had devastated the opposition with its swift effectiveness.

Yuri looked on in defeat.

"Come on." Wolfram hooked his arm with Yuri's, pulling him away gently. "A hot bath sounds perfect about now."

The king nodded, still looking in the direction of their departure. "I hope she realizes she can't keep her."

The soldier shook his head and dragged his fiancé to the bathroom. They helped each other peel off their wet things, running hot water in the tub. It was a tight fit but they managed to both fit, Yuri sitting between Wolfram's legs as they lounged against one end of the tub. Breathing in the hot steam, feeling the hot water around them and the warmth of the other's body made the deep chill melt away and replaced it with a sunny warmth uncommon for the season.

Yuri sighed deeply, letting his head lean back against Wolfram's shoulder. He felt the golden tendrils paste themselves against his face, mingling with his dark bangs, making for a striking contrast just within his vision. He rested one arm on the outside of the tub while the other grasped his lover's knee, running up and down his thigh innocently, watching rivers of water trail down his creamy skin. The echo of the dripping faucet as it splashed and made ripples along the surface was rhythmic and calming like their breath. Even as thoughts rampaged through Yuri's mind, they seemed more distant in these close quarters.

Wolfram wrapped his arms around him, his lean muscular limbs lending strength to Yuri as he drew him closer to his own chest. "Why aren't you happy?"

He paused for a moment, thinking through the warm fog of the bath. "I'm happy. Just...never mind."

"Are you worried Mother will like Greta more than you?"

"No." Yuri made a face, his nose scrunching up as though he smelled something foul. "I hope she's okay though. My mom can be kind if intense."

"So can Greta." Wolfram kissed the side of his face. "You're supposed to enjoy coming back here. If you don't start acting like you're happy I'm not letting you come back again, wimp."

Yuri sighed again, shaking his head slightly.

"You're not going to argue with me? Now I know something is wrong." Wolfram cast a worried glance at his lover's face, tightening his grip around his frame.

Yuri frowned a little at him. "I said to forget it."

"I can't forget it if you keep sighing like that."

"Shibuya?"

Yuri jumped as the bathroom door slid open, sitting up quickly to distance himself from Wolfram. "Murata! What are you doing!"

Murata cocked his head at his friend's outburst, coming into the room further to shut the door behind him. He had on a large pink robe, courtesy of Miko no doubt, with his hair wrapped in a towel and blue slippers on his feet "Mama-san said you and Wolfram were in the bath. I'm supposed to tell you that your brother's home and dinner won't be long." He smiled deviously, his glasses shining in the light. "Oh, were you are Wolfram doing something in here? Have I interrupted?"

"Of course not!" Yuri exclaimed, his face and body burning with embarrassment. "We were just warming up."

"Ooooh."

"Murata!" Yuri quickly got out of the bath and pulled a fluffy blue towel around his waist. "You know what I meant! Lower your voice when you say things like that!"

Murata Ken smiled, scratching the back of his neck. "Alright. No need to freak out. You know I don't care what the two of you do."

"I know _you_ don't." He looked at the tubs remaining occupant, seeing the anger in the green eyes that glared back at him. Yuri's heart sank. "Wolfram, don't take it so personally. I'm sorry."

Wolfram shook his head and stood up, grabbing his own towel to cover himself. He left the room wordlessly, stepping past Murata and walking to Yuri's bedroom to find a change of clothes. In the hallway, Shori watched him walk by, a strange expression on his face.

"Wolfram, wait!" Yuri rounded the corner to give chase but paused at the sight of his brother.

Shori looked at him for a moment then back in the direction Wolfram had gone, then back to his precious brother. "I thought you said you were relieved to be done with him and the engagement mess."

Yuri's eyes were large and frightened. "Things change, Shori. Don't say things like that where he can hear you."

His brother nodded, though he did not completely understand. "Alright, Yu-chan. Dinner's ready. Papa will be home soon. It's about time you decided to come home too, you know."

Yuri nodded slightly, his shoulders wilting. As Shori walked past him, he grabbed his arm tightly, demanding his attention. Their gaze met, Yuri's black eyes full of fear, pleading to him with their honesty. "Don't say anything to dad. Okay?"

Shori nodded hesitantly, pondering to himself the nature of these changes. As soon as his brother let go, he continued down to the kitchen.

Yuri quickly proceeded to his room, catching Wolfram hopping into a pair of jeans, his naked backside disappearing from view. "Wolfram...you're not going to wear any underwear with those?"

Wolfram looked over at him then turned up his nose. "Your undergarments are bulky and uncomfortable."

"So is getting your pubic hair tangled in the zipper. I'm sure I've got briefs around here. Gimme a second." Yuri went to his drawer and started pulling out jockstraps and boxers to find something the blonde prince would be more comfortable in.

Wolfram watched him, fists planted on his hips. "Is this how it's going to be, Yuri?"

Yuri didn't look up, keeping himself occupied looking through his underwear drawer. "What do you mean?"

"Don't ask me that. You'd been acting weird before the trip and now you're jumping at shadows. Murata's seen us in the bath together before and who cares if anyone else does, for that matter?"

"Can we talk about this later?"

Wolfram glared. "We're alone. What's wrong with now?"

"I've got enough to deal with right now without you hounding me, so could you please drop it?" Yuri snapped.

"You wouldn't feel that you have so much to deal with if you bothered talking to me about things." Wolfram pulled a T-shirt on over his head, the hot pink and yellow color clashing with Yuri's mental image of his fiancé. No one had said the prince on the white horse moonlighted as a punk. Silently though, he wrapped a length of leather lacing around his upper arm. That was all Yuri needed to see to feel less lost.

"It's already time to eat, alright?" The Maou stood up, abandoning his search in favor of getting dressed himself. He slipped on a pair of boxers then turned to his lover with a worried expression. "Let's forget it for now. I love you. I don't want to argue with you. Everything can wait till later. Please?"

Wolfram glared at him for a minute then nodded slowly. "Do not dishonor me with your actions."

"I won't. I'm sorry. Knee-jerk reaction." Yuri walked over and kissed his lips, stroking his cheek with his knuckles as he pulled away. "I'm going to tell them about us properly, alright? So just don't say anything yet. Let me handle this."

"Why do you look so scared? This is your family. Your mother is more excited about our wedding than even I am."

Yuri shook his head. "I know. She's accepting of just about everything though. Just please leave this to me."

Wolfram kissed him in reply.

Yuri quickly got dressed, wrapping his own engagement band around his arm over the loose sleeves of a t-shirt he pulled on. They walked out to the dinning area; the table was set with steaming rice and glazed beef already portioned out onto plates. One could smell it from anywhere in the home and the aroma was enticing to most and confusing to others. Greta looked at her plate and utensils with an amazed stare as she sat beside her grandmother, hair in pigtails and dressed in the frilliest pink dress Wolfram had ever seen.

She stood up when she saw her fathers coming and twirled around for them to see. "Do you like it? Mama said I can keep it!"

"Mama?" Yuri made a face at his mother, "You're her grandmother, not her mom."

"I don't have a mother though so grandma said she will be Greta's mama too!"

Yuri opened his mouth to protest but quickly closed it. "Alright. I give up." He smiled and hugged his daughter before taking his seat at the table. "I'm glad you two are getting along so well."

"Sho-chan! Aren't you going to say anything about your brother's adorable daughter?" Miko pouted at her oldest son. She'd even gone to the trouble of changing her own clothes to match Greta's and he was still silent in his observations.

Shori shrugged, spearing a chunk of beef with his fork. "She is a very charming girl. We've met before."

Miko's pout proceeded to become more pitiful as she slumped in her seat. "You knew and you didn't tell me? It's not fair. Does Shoma know too?"

"Eh...no. Only Shori knew." Yuri spoke quietly.

"Oh, Yu-chan, it's like you have this whole other life you don't want us to know about! First you don't tell us about being the Maou, then about being engaged to Wol-chan and now about you having a daughter!" Miko sank deeper into her chair. "It's not fair. I wanted to be there for so many things."

Yuri nodded, speaking his apology in a near whisper. Wolfram watched his behavior with interest, not sure what to make of his sullen mood. Across from him, Murata sat looking calm and vigilant as always. It was almost unnerving how his fiancé's friend could sit by and watch Yuri struggle and not feel obligated to help until he felt it was the time to act. A strategist for sure, but perhaps a bit heartless. Wolfram could not imagine sitting idly by and waiting for an opportunity to arrive. Being forced to do so was driving him mad. He could only hope Yuri would talk to him soon so they could move past whatever was pulling him down.

Under the table, he gave his leg a brief squeeze. Yuri returned the gesture.


	3. Chapter 3

When Shibuya Shoma came home from work, most of the occupants of his home were finished with their meal. The topic of conversation around the table had gone from the weather to baseball to Greta's schooling to Christmas; Miko demanded Greta celebrate the holiday in Japan with her as she planned out matching costumes for a party over a month away. Yuri remained mostly silent through the meal. His attention piqued as he saw his father enter the home, though. He pushed his chair back from the table so he could rise if needed as the older mazoku looked at his family in surprise.

"Yu-chan, you're home."

Yuri nodded, his anxiousness coming across in the jerkiness of his actions. "I just got back a little while ago. You remember Wolfram." He gestured to the seat beside him where his blonde lover inclined his head.

Shoma nodded in greeting to his guest. "I take it you won't be staying long, then, if you've brought your friends with you."

"Uma-chan, this is Greta-chan! She's Yu-chan's daughter!" Miko exclaimed in joy, voice rising in pitch. "Isn't she adorable?"

Shoma blinked at the young girl, his face paling considerably. "Yu-chan...you..."

"Adopted," Yuri added, frowning slightly. First Shori and now his father. Perhaps Wolfram had spoken a little too often of him being a cheater. It seemed his own family was more than willing to accept him as a man of loose morals. "But my daughter none the less; Shibuya Greta."

Greta blushed and bowed her head respectfully to the older man. "I'm very pleased to meet you, grandfather."

Shoma smiled a little and patted her head affectionately. "A very adorable young girl indeed." He sat down at the table as his wife served him his dinner.

His own meal done, Shori left the table and proceeded back to his room. Wolfram followed him with his eyes a moment, trying to gauge if the time was right.

"Ah! Mama-san, that was delicious!" Murata chimed, pushing back from the table as well. "I wish my mom was as good a cook as you are."

Miko put her hands to her cheeks, tossing her head from side to side with embarrassment. "Aw, thank you, Ken-chan! You're such a sweet boy! You must come over and visit me more."

"Yes, I promise I will." Murata stood up, clearing his spot at the table before crossing to the door. "Shibuya, you're taking Greta sight seeing tomorrow, right?"

Yuri blinked out of a daze and looked over at him. "Oh. Yeah, probably, if the weather's nicer."

"I'm sure Mama-san would love to pick out a cute raincoat and matching boots for her. Don't let the weather hold you back."

There was no need for the king to respond. Miko was instantly on her feet, her hand holding Greta's. "Blue!" she exclaimed. "Oh, but maybe green? Or pink? We have to hurry before the shops close! Come, Greta-chan!"

"Honey?" Shoma could only watch as hallucinations of his day's wages trailed behind his excited wife as she gathered umbrellas and rushed out with Greta in hand.

"Make sure you hold her hand in the stores! And look both ways at cross wal--ouch!" Yuri jumped in his seat as his thigh was pinched and looked pitifully at his fiancé.

"You're doing it again," Wolfram said simply.

Yuri sighed but understood as the door closed behind Murata and the two happy girls. He turned to his father, who seemed occupied with his food. Too much so, which could only mean one thing to Yuri. "Ah...Wolfram? Would you mind leaving me and my dad alone for a while?"

"Not at all." Wolfram stood, pleased to find a moment to deal with his own business on Earth. "I'll be in your room if you need me."

Yuri nodded, smiling thankfully as he watched him retreat. With him went his security, though. He took a deep breath, trying to puts things in order in his mind once more before trying to speak.

"You're very young to have a daughter," His father said, breaking the ice. "I know you're the Maou and all, but being a father is an entirely different responsibility. Not only do you have to provide for her financially but you have to make time to be there with her."

"I know, dad. I think I do pretty well, though. And she's old enough to understand why I'm not there sometimes." He was pleased his father had been the first to speak. The topic was easy for him to go on about. "She knows I have an important job and she is very supportive of me. I couldn't ask for a better child than her."

Shoma nodded slowly, drinking from his soup. "It's just her and Wolfram this time, is it?"

"Yeah. Conrad, and well some others I'm sure too, they would have liked to have come along, but I asked for it to be a private matter. I don't need our best government minds accompanying me home," Yuri explained, the nervousness creeping up on him again.

"Just Wolfram."

"He's my fiancé. He wouldn't stay behind if I begged. " The king tried to find some humor to get past the situation, to make his father smile off handedly and make the conversation less weighty. "I wanted him to come, though. Him and Greta."

"Still your fiancé, is he?"

"Officially." Yuri nodded.

Shoma's smile was broad and proud. "I thought as much when I saw the two of you sitting there. Is that what the thing on your arm is supposed to signify?"

Yuri placed his hand over the leather lacing. "It just happened to be what was in my pocket when I formally proposed. I wish it was something more dignified and elaborate looking, but he won't accept anything but what I offered him on my knees." He blushed slightly, embarrassed by his own sentimentality. "There's no date set or anything, though. I guess it sounds sort of...selfish, but we've sort of settled on waiting till there's some sort of crisis in Shin Makoku to actually marry."

"Crisis?" His father looked at him with concern. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, no, everything's fine!" Yuri waved his arms exaggeratedly. "We've got some flooding problems right now, but nothing on a grand scale. I meant, since Wolfram and I are comfortable being as we are outside of marriage, we'd only actually marry to sort of give the country something to celebrate, something to take their minds off whatever was troubling us. We're heading towards a golden age of prosperity, Gunter says. A royal wedding right now would be a nice thing for everyone to talk and think about but it'd be better for the kingdom as a whole if news like that came at a darker time."

Shoma nodded a little though his frown still remained. "It makes sense but it just doesn't seem right."

"It was Gwendel's idea and neither Wolfram nor myself doubt him when it comes to the welfare of the kingdom. Like I said, we're secure in our relationship. We don't personally need the wedding to feel any more like a family." Yuri smiled at his father, trying to make him more confident in his decision. "I know maybe it's not the most romantic wedding plan, but I don't think that will make it any less wonderful when the time comes."

His father nodded again, downing the rest of his soup. "I suppose being king, there are a lot of things you have to work around between your personal life and duty."

Yuri tensed and paused before giving an affirmative gesture. "Yeah. That's...actually something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh?" Shoma put down his bowl and looked curiously at his son, whose head was bowed slightly, bangs clouding his eyes.

"You see, dad..." Yuri swallowed. "I have a daughter. And I'm going to be someone's husband. And on top of that even I'm a king. I have all these responsibilities now and..."

"And you want some fatherly advice."

"No." He shook his head, unable to look up. "That's not it. See, everything I have, I have in Shin Makoku. And as a father, husband and king, I have a responsibility to the people of Shin Makoku. But until now, I've been trying to live two separate lives and be the Maou only when I have to and just Shibuya Yuri when I'm here. I'm not going to be summoned back here anymore, though. It's up to me to make the decisions on when I can and can't come back to Earth."

The room was quiet. Yuri continued.

"My job is that of the Maou, so it doesn't make sense for me to worry about going to school here so I can get a good paying career as a salary man. I have lectures from Gunter about the history of my new world and I have to learn to read and write in that language still. If my job isn't on Earth, though, where I settle with my family can't be either. And if my career and my family are all in Shin Makoku, that's where I need to spend most of my time too." He took a deep breath. "I brought Greta this time because I wanted you both to see with your own eyes that I've got roots in Shin Makoku now. She deserves to spend time with her father. I wanted you both to just meet her, too, because she's a part of this family even if you aren't with her as much as Wolfram's side is. You all deserved to meet each other finally."

Shoma nodded, a grim expression on his face. "In other words, you're not coming back anymore."

Yuri shook his head. "Not often. I wouldn't be much of a man if I fell back on my duties just to visit my old home and parents."

His father leaned back in his chair, stretching slightly. "Your mother's going to be very unhappy, Yu-chan."

"I can't tell her..." He bit his lip, trying not to picture his mother's tears. "I don't want to make her sad, but you both can't come live in Shin Makoku and leave Shori here. Besides...you'd have to worry about the ageing differences in my world. That's not fair to either of you." He shook his head. "I'm sixteen now. I'm an adult. All adults move away from home eventually. I'm just moving a lot further away than most."

"You talk like a man, at least," Shoma noted. "I'll be there when you tell her, but I won't do it for you."

Yuri bowed his head. "Thank you."

His father nodded, pushing away from the table. "I'm proud of you, Yuri. If it were me, I don't know what kind of decisions I would have been able to make given the circumstances. I can see why they made you their king."

Yuri smiled a little, but the stress still remained. "Thanks, Dad. I'll tell mom tomorrow when you're home from work."

"I guess I should remember to bring home flowers for her to soften the blow." Shoma looked at his son for a moment then placed a hand on his head. "She was right, I guess. I spent so much time at the office, I missed out on my sons."

Yuri winced, the weight on his shoulders growing as his father's hand left his head and the older man retreated to his room to change.

Yuri sat at the empty table for a minute, face in his hands, before trudging up the stairs to his room.


	4. Chapter 4

Wolfram walked up the stairs silently, trying not to disturb the budding conversation below. There was a thin bar of light radiating from under Shori's door, alerting him that it was occupied, along with the click clack of keyboard keys being pressed in quick succession. He rapped gently at the door and waited to be granted entry, fidgeting slightly as he stood, the coarse material of the jeans agitating his skin.

The door opened slightly, the taller man looking down into the hall, his expression making it certain he had not been expecting this particular visitor. "Wolfram...hi."

"May I come in?" Wolfram asked. "I've something I'd like to speak to you about."

Shori nodded curtly, stepping aside to the let the mazoku soldier through, though he seemed somewhat uncomfortable. He closed the door behind them.

"What is it with you and Yuri? You're both acting very skittish," Wolfram pointed out, looking curiously at the glowing screen of the computer, another advancement he'd need to ask someone about in the future.

Shori shook his head. "I just remember the last times you wanted to see me alone."

With a scowl, Wolfram recalled those times through a fog of distant memories. "That wasn't me and I'm appalled you base your knowledge of me off those occurrences." He stood up taller, leveling the future Maou of the Earth with a serious stare. "I would never try and seduce an enemy or ally in such a disgraceful manner. I love Yuri. That which controlled me had little regard for my feelings on the matter. I'm glad things worked out despite that, but do not make the mistake of confusing me and the actions you witnessed at that time."

Shori nodded, taking a seat on his bed. "Sorry. It's just rather memorable. It's not every day your brother's fiancé sneaks into your room at night to offer you what you most desire."

"No, I should hope that is not a common occurrence at all. Perhaps, though, you will understand my request better than I thought you might."

Shori quirked his head quizzically, thin eyes narrowing. "How so?"

"You are the only one I can think of who can grant me this." Wolfram took a seat at the computer, pulling the chair closer to the bed to sit before his brother-in-law. "As Yuri's husband, it will become my responsibility to give him children. There are several ways to go about this, but only one which I am capable of accepting. I will never allow a woman to bear his child, nor will I expect Yuri to tolerate my infidelity for the purpose either. Therefore, there is only adoption left to us."

Shori nodded, though he felt rather uncomfortable speaking on such things with present company. "Why do you need my help?"

"Because I want a child that looks like Yuri," Wolfram explained. "Black hair and eyes are not common where I'm from, though. To find the one-in-a-million child born with those attributes would be a miracle and for that child to be an orphan would be even more so."

"You could take your pick of any Japanese orphan and they would fit that description."

"Just having black hair and eyes isn't enough."

Shori pulled back slightly, his brain shouting at a conclusion it was not able to fathom. "Are you asking me to father a child for the two of you?"

"No, though that is an option I hadn't considered." Wolfram leaned forward to compensate for the increased distance between them. "Why? Is that something you would be willing to do?"

"I'd...rather hear what you had in mind."

Wolfram nodded, expecting as much. He could hardly blame him, though, and continued his explanation. "As you know, Greta is human. She will look older than us soon enough and die while Yuri and I are still very young. Her brother must be a mazoku or at the very least half one. I will not suffer the loss of many children if it can be avoided." He gave a proud smile, having thought of all this himself. "That's where you come in. You will be the Maou of the Earth. Since the mazoku here are not distinguishable from humans in most respects, it would be very difficult for me to find one on my own. You will have resources, though. As you are their king, surely your people are known to you. If you were simply to let your subjects know that Yuri is willing to adopt a male mazoku infant with the physical specifications I have asked for, it should not be difficult for one to appear."

Shori shook his head, trying to think through the request logically. "I'm not sure it works like that, exactly. I'd have more resources, sure, but I doubt there's a roster of all the mazokus born on Earth."

"You will still have better means to facilitate my request," the blonde pointed out. "Especialy with Bob's help. And Rodriguez is a pediatrician, is he not? He deals with a lot of children, then. Just his help alone would increase the chances of finding a child for Yuri."

Shori rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "Does it have to be male?"

"It's a preference," Wolfram stated. "We have one daughter already. I would enjoy raising a son. As he were an infant, it would be easier for us both, I think, to take care of him. If it is a girl you find, though, that is acceptable as well."

The dark haired man nodded slowly, thinking it over more as they sat in silence. "I'll address it to Bob. See what he thinks," he said at length.

Wolfram smiled, leaning back in the chair. "Thank you, brother."

"Brother?" Shori shook his head, rising to his feet to pace back towards his computer screen. "I can't even get Yu-chan to call me that."

"I have found him to be rather lax in formalities. He calls one of our country's biggest supporters Mr. Shiny-Head. It's not his choice in words most times as the emotion he puts in them." Wolfram stood and pushed the chair back toward its owner. "There's no need to tell him about this though, brother. I would rather my request remain a secret between you and I."

"Why?"

"Because he would either get excited about the idea of raising another child and take in the first one he saw or become nervous and worry over things before they were even a possibility. If I want this done right, I will do it myself, as is my obligation," he explained in good humor. "I have faith that eventually you will find what I'm looking for. Consider it your wedding present to the both of us, regardless of when you find the child. Neither event is on a set schedule."

"Alright." Shori began typing again, addressing an e-mail to Bob. "You're sure about this though? What if Yuri doesn't want another kid?"

"He will not deny me. I'm not worried in the slightest."

Shori made a face. "That's rather tyrannical of you."

"Were I a woman, he would not get to decide when I conceived. I see no difference." Wolfram explained with logic that was too primitive to argue with.

Footsteps pounded slowly up the staircase, the heavy feet landing in tired intervals. Wolfram looked towards the door, recognizing who trudged wearily towards them. "Yuri..." He went to the door and opened it, looking down the stairs as his fiancé appeared. Shori followed him slowly.

Yuri looked up at him at the sound of the door opening and smiled thinly. "You managed to get Shori away from his studies?"

He nodded. "Everything alright?"

Yuri sighed and dragged himself to the landing and to his lover, resting his head against his shoulder. "Just tired. Dad says he's happy about the wedding. It'll be interesting when I have to come and bring them over for it."

Wolfram wrapped his arms around him, letting him lean heavily against him. "That's not what had you so nervous."

The Maou shook his head and sighed again before forcing himself to stand up straight. "Come on. Let's get ready for bed."

"It would be only a little after noon back home." Wolfram frowned. "You can't be this tired already."

"We'll talk in my room." Yuri took his hand and pulled him along, trying to avoid the look on his brother's face as they turned away from his room and moved into Yuri's. The door swung closed behind them and Yuri sank down on his bed, pulling Wolfram down with him.

Wolfram laid over him, brushing his dark hair from his face. "You promised you'd tell me," he reminded his lover.

Yuri nodded with his eyes shut, nuzzling his face against Wolfram's hand. "I know I did. I'm sorry I didn't tell you beforehand--it's just something I didn't want to think about too much. I know I'm gaining more than I'm losing, but it's hard to see it that way when I'm here."

Wolfram kisses his cheek. "Spit it out already, then. You're making me nervous."

"I've decided to make Shin Makoku my permanent home."

The blonde looked at his fiancé for a moment, trying to work out why that was such a dilemma. In this world he was nobody, while in the other he was the powerful Maou of the great Shin Makoku. All that Earth offered was his family.

Oh.

Wolfram kissed his lips, letting the sensitive flesh of their lips linger against each other even after the kiss was spent, sharing each other's breath. "You don't have to choose. My brothers can look over Shin Makoku in our absence."

Yuri shook his head. "No. Eventually I'd have to make a decision. If I'm old enough to know what I want to be and who I want to be with for the rest of my life, I'm old enough to know where I need to spend my life. Honestly, I don't even miss home most of the time. I'm so busy with the kingdom and Greta and you that...I forget about them...and I'm sure some days they forget about me." He felt his breath shudder and squeezed his eyes tight. He'd done well not to cry so far and wanted that to last.

Wolfram's lips fell to the corner of his eye, tasting the first tear as it slipped past his resolve. "It's okay to cry, Yuri. I won't think less of you."

That was all he needed. Yuri choked on a sob before clinging to Wolfram, burying his face in his shoulder. He didn't want his family to move on without him, even though he knew they would, same as he did on his long weeks away. He'd be a fond memory and a welcome guest, but he would never be able to be a kid again. That was the most frightening thing of all. No matter what happened in Shin Makoku, in the past he could always cling to the fact that back on Earth, there was nothing more troublesome to deal with than a test or strong competition on the baseball diamond. At the end of this visit, there would be no further refuge from being a king.

Wolfram smelled like strong soap, the kind Yuri always used after a long, hard day. He took a deep breath, breathing him in, and wiped his face off on his shirt. He pulled away enough to smile at his lover's concerned face. "I'm not going to regret it, though. I'm happy to be able to spend more time with my new family. You guys need me more. And...just you being here makes it better."

Smiling, Wolfram kissed him again and rolled to the side to squeeze between Yuri and the wall. His arms wrapped firmly around him, he drew Yuri's head to his chest, where the king closed his eyes once more, listening to the heartbeat beneath his head. The rhythmic breath and warm embrace sheltered him from all else. Sleep came easily.


	5. Chapter 5

Perhaps purely as a stroke of luck, the following morning was bright and sunny, the cool breeze dancing along the weighted plank of the wind chime hanging delicately on the porch making it sing a hollow tune. Despite the lovely weather, the pastel pink galoshes Miko had bought the evening before were slipped comfortably over Greta's stockings, her pant legs tucked down inside them. These, her grandmother had instructed, were for jumping in any puddles they found, as a truly cute little girl should never miss out on puddle-jumping.

As it was still late autumn, Yuri made sure to bundle Greta warmly in a wooly coat with a white scarf wrapped loosely around her neck and a hat to keep the wind from her ears. Such attentive parenting made Miko swoon with pride and she hesitated only long enough to adjust the focus before snapping several pictures of the young family. Yuri forced himself to smile in his mother's direction as guilt tried to snuff out his hopes for the day. Wolfram refused to allow his mood to run sour, though, and dragged him out the door before apprehension made him cancel their date.

Outside the wind nipped at the tips of their noses but was quickly forgotten as they held hands in a line, Greta swinging their arms in the middle as she skipped along. The amusement parks were closed by now and the aquarium had little to show for in the colder months of the year, which left them with one very simple thing to do: make their own fun. The playground near the ballpark was ideal.

Swing sets, slides, the merry-go-round that had made Yuri throw up more than once in his younger life--many simple structures all tailored to the enjoyment of children. It was hard not to feel a rush of excitement looking at an empty swing just waiting to be claimed.

Greta looked curiously at a few of the things in front of her and ran her hands along the smooth metal of the support beams. "What's this?"

"That's a fireman's pole." Yuri smiled and pulled her back from it as another child raced to the top of the ladder and wrapped his legs around the pole, riding it down to the ground. "See? You just hold on loosely and slide down."

Greta nodded and waited her turn to get up the ladder as well then proceeded to the pole. She hadn't realized how far from the platform it was. She reached out with one hand and held on tight before throwing herself towards it, wrapping herself around the smooth metal and feeling it slip through her grasp as she descended. On the ground again she smiled her triumph and waved at Yuri in excitement. With one obstacle tackled, she quickly ran to engage the next, watching the other kids as they played in order to understand better the way some things were meant to be used.

Yuri bit his lip as he watched her run off to the monkey bars.

"She's fine." Wolfram sighed and plopped down on a bench. "You can see her quite well from here. She's getting along nicely with the other children."

Yuri nodded and sat down beside him, keeping a small bit of distance between them should some observer get the right idea. "I know. Sorry. It's just that it's her first time on an Earth playground."

"It's hardly dangerous or unfamiliar." Wolfram pointed to the swing sets. "Mother used to have something like that in fact. And I can't see how climbing anything with bars and platforms is any more threatening than climbing a tree, which has neither to help. Is that a fake horse on a spring?"

"Alright, I get it." Yuri made a face at him. Sometimes he hated the other man's logic, if only because it generally meant Yuri was wrong. Yes, riding a horse was more dangerous than any seesaw and there were trees he'd helped Greta down from which much taller than the child sized structures that the children hung off of. He supposed he was one of _those _ parents, an idea that made his frown deepen. He was going to grow up to be like his mother.

Shivering slightly at the thought, Yuri stood up and extended his hand to his fiancé. "Come on."

"You don't want to watch Greta?" was the bemused reply.

Yuri grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet and over to the swings. "Greta's having fun. We should too." He pushed him down into the rubber seat, which wrapped around him and hugged his hips tightly between the metal chains.

Wolfram grimaced. "I'm too old to be playing on this." In fact, the swings occupied around them served only laughing, happy children no older than ten, some as young as five perhaps. His face burned with embarrassment but as he tried to rise, Yuri held onto his shoulders and kept him firmly in place.

"I'll push, you sit."

"Absolutely not." Wolfram dug his heals into the ground and shook his head.

The young girl on the swing beside him jumped off and ran across the sand towards the water fountain on the other side of the parking lot, leaving her swing empty. Yuri grabbed it and took a seat, rocking back and forth a bit, smiling a goofy smile at his beloved. "How about a race, then? See who can get the highest."

Wolfram shook his head, amazed sometimes at how childish his fiancé could be. "I'm not playing anything. See all the other parents? They're either sitting and watching or shadowing their children."

Yuri shrugged. "Fine then. I win I guess." He pulled his legs up and let his weight carry him forward, then back, then pumped his legs hard to gain momentum. Toes pointed to the sky, he cast a challenging look at Wolfram as he sailed by, watching his blush extend from his cheeks to his ears.

"You win, do you? I doubt that!" Wolfram pulled his legs up as well and mimicked Yuri's gestures, not having sat upon a swing in decades. He was annoyed at the clumsiness with which he gained speed, the way his swing seemed to twist a bit in the air and make him look all the more awkward. He had been challenged though, and he would not go down without a fight.

Kicking their legs, leaning back far in the tight fit of the swing while the chain links threatened to pinch their skin through their gloves, they both found themselves laughing, transported far away from the rest of the world.

"I'm still higher than you!"

"No you're not! If you would get in synch with me you'd see my feet are much higher than yours are!"

"Nope. Still higher. Can't beat me."

Wolfram fumed, though the expression was superficial. A shining object caught his eye though and as he soared backwards on his decent, he recognized the origin. Feet extended in front of him, he heals kicked up sand into the air as he forced himself to halt.

"Giving up?"

Wolfram shook his head. "Murata's here." He pointed towards their friend who waved as he approached without threat of being kicked. He stood in front of Wolfram, watching Yuri slowly bring himself down.

"You two look like you're having fun. I saw Greta coming down the slide, so I knew you two were here, but I didn't expect to see you behaving so youthfully, Lord Von Bielefeld." Murata smiled, the corners of his mouth hiding a teasing tone. "It suits you."

Wolfram scowled, but said nothing.

"What are you doing at the park?" Yuri asked, gently swaying on his perch.

"Mama-san said I could find you here. I wanted to invite you all over to my home for lunch today."

Yuri blinked in surprise. "Your home? Murata, I don't think I've ever actually been to your place before."

"You haven't." Murata smiled broadly. "I want to repay you for your hospitality, though. Also, my mother is very much interested in meeting you. I had to include you in my explanation of why I was away so long. She was rather upset I'd never introduced you."

"Does she know?"

It was well understood what was meant by that remark. Murata shook his head, still smiling. "There wasn't a need to explain all that really. She'd just think I was getting confused again. I told her we ran away to Switzerland to spend time with your Great Uncle Bob."

"Gah! Your mother's going to hate me!" Yuri stood up from his swing, leaning in closer to his friend's face. "Why did you tell her something like that? How is that better than the truth?"

"Shibuya, it's alright!" Murata laughed a little, adjusting his glasses as he pulled away. "Anyway, mom wants me to take you all over there whenever you're ready."

Apprehension made Yuri's stomach pinch. "You promise she won't be angry? No offense, but I'd rather not deal with two hysterical women today. I need to build up my strength to handle my own situation."

"I promise."

Yuri nodded, accepting the invitation, though his stomach still churned and his mouth felt dry. "Soon as Greta's done playing, we'll leave. I'm going to get a drink of water real quick, though."

Wolfram watched him walk out towards the parking lot where the bathrooms and fountain were located, shoulders drooping and his head sinking between them. The protective coating of their fun moments earlier seemed to have flaked away.

"He'll be alright, Von Bielefeld."

Wolfram felt Murata's hand on his shoulder and sighed. Somehow, despite everything that had happened in the past, hearing the Great Sage say that made it feel true.

Greta skipped over to them, bouncing with energy she still hadn't worked off on the playground. "Where's Yuri?"

"He wanted a drink of water. We're going to go meet the Great Sage's family. Are you done playing?" Wolfram took in her sweaty appearance with a smile, glad to see she had enjoyed herself.

"Yeah! I met a couple kids my age who were really nice and we played tag!" Greta looked for her other father and smiled. "I'm thirsty too, actually. I'm going to go with Yuri."

She ran across the parking lot, kicking up water on the pavement as she went.

When the car hit her, her body flew limply several feet, landing with a sickening thump along the yellow lines of a parking space. Someone else's scream was the only thing that caused Yuri to look over his shoulder in time to see the SUV as it drove too quickly and blindly smashed into her young body.

There was so much screaming. But not from Greta. Greta lay still and quiet on the pavement. What had been several feet away from him was now cradled in his arms, unmoving and unnaturally fluid in his grasp, as though all the bones in her body were gone. The hat and scarf were stained red, blood seeping down her face from somewhere hidden in her hair.

The vehicle began to pull away--he could feel the blood coming through her coat--it was taking off, fleeing the scene.

Wolfram leapt on top of the hood, grabbing hold of the blades on the windshield to keep himself from being thrown from it. Startled and panicked, they SUV slammed on its breaks again, finding nowhere to go.

"Shibuya! Hurry!"

Yuri looked up at his friend, shock numbing his mind. "I shouldn't move her. We have to wait for the ambulance."

"Even if she's human, her body isn't like ours. Our medicines could kill her. She doesn't have the same immunities--she needs to be healed back home. Go! Now!" Murata shook him hard, watching the unfocused eyes become alert.

Yuri took Greta into his arms and ran to the bathrooms, charging into the men's side though the people behind him shouted for him to not move her. He turned the faucet on and took the water into his hand, feeling instinct take over. He splashed the water over the surface of the mirror, watching the reflective surface shine and distort like a pool of water itself. Without a second thought, he plunged headfirst through the portal with Greta clutched close. The portal was left a simple, wet mirror as he passed through to the other side.

In the parking lot however, broken windshield wiper in hand, Wolfram began to bludgeon the driver who had dared to strike his daughter and still thought to escape. Murata's arms quickly wrapped around him from behind, pulling him away though he kicked and thrashed to have just one more slash at the villain before him.

"Let me go!"

"We have to run!" Murata's voice was as stern and commanding as his grip on the blonde mazoku. "The police are coming for sure. We have to get out of here before they arrive."

"But Greta!" Wolfram turned his head only to find an empty patch on the pavement where his daughter had lain in the lap of his fiancé. "Where...?"

"I told him to go. She needs to be home if she's going to stand any chance." Murata let go of his chest and took his hand, pulling him to run beside him. "Come on!"

"I won't run!" he shouted but found his legs moving to keep up with the Great Sage. Some people gave chase but none had the stamina to continue their pursuit as the two ran across the baseball field and ducked down behind some trees to hide.

Wolfram shook his hand from Murata's grip, and wiped away the angry tears clouding his vision. "Why did you pull me away from there? You saw what he did!"

Murata nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry, Lord Von Bielefeld. What you were doing is against our laws, though, even in light of what he did."

"I don't care!"

Murata watched his chest heave with heavy sobs as he tried to breathe around tears. In light of his pride, he wanted to look away but found it easier said then done. "You will care very much in the next few months if by chance the police decide to look for you."

Wolfram shook his head. "I don't care about your stupid laws! When Yuri gets back--"

"Shibuya changed it so that time flowed faster on Earth than in Shin Makoku. Until he thinks to undo that, we are living days and weeks in the space of one Shin Makoku moment." Murata leveled him with a serious stare. "That time difference is the last thing on Shibuya's mind right now. By the time he gets Greta to a healer, do you think he'll immediately think to leave her side? It could be hours till he remembers to come back for you and in that time, you might have been here for years."

Wolfram sat frozen, his body, which had been trembling with grief suddenly stilled in fear, staring in disbelief at the calm exterior of his fiancé's friend.

The sudden darkness that closed his eyes was merciful.


	6. Final Summary

** The chances of me finishing this story are very slim so for your indulgence, here is a quick summary of what would have happened had I the time to write it down.**

While staying with him, Murata tries to teach Wolfram Japanese, indulging him in cultural curiosities as they go and trying to get his mind off of his injured daughter. Wolfram becomes more aware of what Yuri will be sacrificing to commit to him, especially after spending Christmas with the Shibuyas along with Murata. With mistletoe over head, Murata steals a kiss from Wolfram, making him rather angry and even more homesick for Yuri and worried about Greta.

In trying to calm the angry prince, Murata speaks to Wolfram about how when Yuri is required to leave for diplomatic purposes, it will fall to Wolfram to stay back and rule over Shin Makoku. Murata explains how Wolfram has changed over the years and how he will become Maou should anything ever happen to Yuri, not because of marriage but rather because he now possesses the spirit and will to be a great ruler. Hearing the Great Sage speak in honest praise of him does make Wolfram feel a little better, at least enough to forgive him for the chaste kiss. Wolfram is getting sick though, spending too much time in a world with such pollution and chemical enhancements in everything, things his body is just not used to for such long term exposure. Murata knows why, but does not tell Wolfram.

Back in Shin Makoku, Yuri has just arrived with Greta in his arms. He hurries to find someone to help heal her, doing his best not to cry. He hands her off to Gisela and waits and watches. He finally does break down when Conrad puts his arms around him, unable to make his mind shut off the images and thoughts that won't leave him. He doesn't want to lose his daughter. As they wait and watch, Greta is stabilized but not out of danger. Yuri doesn't want to leave her side but knows Wolfram should be with them. He leaves Conrad to hold Greta's hand and keep her company and goes to get Wolfram back.

When he arrives back in Japan, it's nearly spring. Yuri realizes what has happened and feels ill, imagining how angry Wolfram will be at him and feeling sorry to have made him wait and worry for so long. He goes home, finds he is not there, then goes to Murata's home. Wolfram is in bed, too weak to get up from all the poisons in Yuri's environment. Yuri feels even worse, worried now for the safety of his lover as well as his daughter. He takes the three of them back to Shin Makoku using Murata's bath. Once there, Yuri lays Wolfram in the bed beside Greta, where the blonde mazoku wraps his arms around her and holds her close, finally back with his daughter. He closes his eyes.

Time jump. Yuri is pacing the room in his regal dress, nervous and scared and hoping he doesn't make a mistake at the wedding. Conrad laughs good naturedly, telling him everything will be alright. In walks the bride, Greta in a long white gown looking elegant. Yuri smiles at her and takes her hand and walks her down the isle towards his soon to be son-in-law. He thinks about how odd it is to be walking his daughter down the isle when they look the same age and smiles sadly as he kisses her and leaves her to take his seat. Wolfram is sitting there with their adopted mazoku son on his lap, keeping him pacified so as to not disturb the ceremony. Yuri sits beside him and takes his free hand, kissing the ring he placed there not so long ago.

The end.


End file.
